California Approves 44 Million Dollars for Fifteen Land Conservation Projects

…to help secure streamflow and provide future wildlife-oriented public access. The property provides habitat for coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, elk, deer, black bear, mountain lion and native bird species. “ The Wildlife Conservation Board has been an essential conservation partner in the Scott River region for decades ,” said Frazier Haney, executive director of The Wildlands Conservancy. “With its investment today, we can expand the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve to over 20,000 acres, facilitating the restoration and rewilding of…

…effort on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Big Springs Ranch Wildlife Area. The wider effort aims to improve conditions for coho and Chinook salmon, steelhead, Pacific lamprey and migratory waterfowl. “ The Big Springs Ranch project represents exactly the kind of on-the-ground impact CalTrout has been working toward in the Shasta River watershed ,” said Damon Goodman, Mount Shasta-Klamath regional director for California Trout. Mojave desert tortoise The funding also includes $4 million for a meadow restoration project at Johnson Meadow in South Lake Tahoe. The…

…removing old utility structures and installing a grade-control structure to reduce erosion near Highway 50. The project will also maintain fish passage for native species, including Lahontan cutthroat trout. “ Without the support from the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Johnson Meadow Restoration project would not be possible ,” said Andrew Schurr, restoration programme manager for the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. 80-acre property to support Tribal restoration One of the grants focuses on Tribal stewardship and cultural land return.…

…The project will protect oak woodlands, wetlands and habitat used by osprey, black-tailed deer and native pollinators. It will also expand job training and cultural programmes for local Tribal communities. “ Acquiring the Politsuwi property allows us to grow our hands-on training programmes and deepen Indigenous-led stewardship in Lake County ,” said Lindsay Dailey, executive director of the Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance. “This land will give Tribal members and local participants a place to practise cultural restoration, blend traditional knowledge with…

…will protect habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise, creosote scrub, Joshua tree woodlands and desert washes. The land will be managed to protect sensitive species, preserve natural corridors and prevent development. “ This property, located in the greater Mojave National Preserve, represents some of the most ecologically important Mojave desert tortoise habitat remaining in California ,” said Kristina Drake, director of conservation ecology for the Mojave Desert Land Trust. “This grant allows us to permanently protect a stronghold for this state-endangered species... Thanks to the Wildlife…